Evelyn-
The sounds of laughter echoed outside my door, pulling
me out of sleep. For a moment, I stayed under the covers, wishing I could pretend I wasn't here. But I was. The boys' hall. My new reality.
I forced myself out of bed, grabbing my phone to check the time. My first night here had been... weird. I wasn't sure what I expected, but the constant noise, the feeling of not belonging—it had hit me harder than I thought it would. I shook my head, trying to clear the fog. I had to deal with it. There wasn't any other choice.
After getting dressed, I tied my hair into a messy bun and headed for the door. It felt like a barrier between me and the rest of the world, but I had to step out eventually. As soon as I opened it, Liam was there, smiling like he had been waiting for me.
"Morning," he said, leaning against the doorframe casually.
"Morning," I mumbled, trying to muster a smile. He was always so... together. I wasn't sure if it was comforting or exhausting.
"You heading to the common room?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Come with me, we're grabbing coffee. It'll help wake you up."
"Sure," I said, though I wasn't in the mood for socializing. Still, I didn't want to be the girl who hid in her room.
We walked down the hall together, Liam's easygoing nature taking the edge off my nerves. But when we stepped into the common room, it felt like all eyes were on me. I hated that feeling—like I was an outsider, like I didn't belong here. The guys were laughing and talking like they'd known each other forever, and I was just... me.
Jordan-
I was lounging on the couch, pretending to care about the video game the guys were arguing over, but really, I was watching her. Evelyn. She had that look on her face—like she wasn't sure what she was doing here. I couldn't blame her. Hall B wasn't exactly the place for someone like her. She was too... soft. Too out of place.
Liam, ever the nice guy, was trying to bring her into the fold. I wasn't sure how much good it would do. The truth was, she'd have to figure this place out on her own. No one was going to make it easy for her.
She glanced around the room, her eyes landing on me for a second. I could tell she didn't know what to make of me, and honestly, I wasn't sure what to make of her either. But there was something about the way she stood there, trying not to look lost, that caught my attention.
I nodded in her direction, but she looked away quickly. Maybe she wasn't ready to deal with all of this yet. But she'd have to, eventually.
Evelyn-
The coffee was hot, but it didn't do much to ease the tightness in my chest. I sat down with Liam, trying to focus on the conversation, but my mind kept wandering. I didn't belong here. Every laugh, every side glance, felt like it was directed at me. Like they all knew I was different.
Liam was talking about weekend plans—something about a bonfire. I nodded along, but I wasn't really listening. My eyes drifted across the room, and I saw Jordan again. He was watching me. It made me uneasy. He was hard to read, always hanging back, observing. I didn't know what his deal was, but he made me feel... exposed.
"So, you coming?" Liam's voice broke through my thoughts.
"Huh?" I blinked, trying to catch up. "To the bonfire?"
"Yeah," he said with a grin. "It'll be fun. You should come."
"Maybe," I said, though I wasn't sure if I meant it. Being around a bunch of people I didn't know felt like a bad idea, but maybe that's exactly what I needed. Or maybe I just didn't want to disappoint him.
Liam-
I could see the hesitation in her eyes, the way she seemed unsure of everything. I wanted to help, to make her feel like she wasn't alone in this place. But I wasn't sure how to do that without overwhelming her. I could tell she was still adjusting, and I didn't want to push too hard.
"We'll see you there," I said, not giving her much of a choice. "It's no pressure, just a way to get out and chill."
She gave me a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. I wondered how much she was holding back. There was something about her, something I couldn't quite figure out. I just hoped she wouldn't shut down completely.
Evelyn-
As I sipped my coffee, trying to ignore the noise around me, the door swung open, and in walked someone I hadn't seen before. A tall, confident-looking guy with a dark hoodie and sharp eyes. The energy in the room shifted instantly. The guys stopped talking, a few of them giving him nods.
He scanned the room, and when his gaze fell on me, it lingered a little too long. I could feel my heart start to race. There was something about him that made the air feel heavier.
Liam leaned in and whispered, "That's Ben. You... might want to steer clear of him."
I swallowed, suddenly feeling even more out of place. Ben's eyes never left mine as he made his way to the couch, sitting down like he owned the room. The tension was thick, and I could tell there was something about him that made everyone a little on edge.
The uneasy feeling in my chest tightened, and I wasn't sure if it was because of the way Ben looked at me, or the fact that Liam's warning didn't feel like enough.
Ben-
She's new. I could tell from the second I walked in. The way the room shifted, the way she tensed up when she saw me. New girls always had that look—like they didn't know what to make of me. I wasn't here to make friends, and she'd learn that soon enough.
But there was something about her that caught my eye. She didn't belong here, and that made her interesting. I could see it in the way she tried to blend in but couldn't. It wouldn't take long for her to realize that this place wasn't as simple as it seemed.
I leaned back, watching her from across the room, wondering how long it would take before she figured out how things really worked around here.
Evelyn-
I couldn't shake the feeling of Ben's eyes on me, even as I tried to focus on Liam and the conversation. Something told me that this wasn't the end of it. Whatever was happening, it felt like the calm before the storm.
